Cavani the man to replace Balotelli?

As one window closes, another one opens – well, sort of.

As chairman, managers and players breathe a sigh of relief that the 31 days of speculation, rumour and hearsay finally ends – or does it?

Of course, journalists and Sky Sports’ Jim White in particular, would welcome a 12-month transfer window you’d imagine and there are still plenty of column inches to be filled between now and the next window opening.

So why waste time waiting?

David Anderson in The Daily Mirror has picked up on quotes from a player who has been linked with City for the past 12 months or so – Edinson Cavani.

With the Blues likely to be in the market this summer for a new striker following Mario Balotelli's exit , Anderson writes: “Edinson Cavani hopes the likes of Manchester City will not be put off trying to buy him by Napoli’s massive £54million price-tag.

“That is the value of the release clause in the five-year contract the striker Cavani signed with the Italian side in 2011, and he is worried it may rule out a summer move to the Premier League.

“Premier League champions City's Italian manager, Roberto Mancini, is a huge fan of the Uruguayan and considers him a possible replacement for Mario Balotelli, while Chelsea have also been linked with him.

“Cavani, 25, said: ‘If a club has a clear project and they want to focus on me, they can’t be frightened in front of this figure.’

“He added: ‘For now, I’m not thinking about [my future]. Later, it will be up to the club to take into consideration what should be done.

I am happy here. Napoli have given me a lot and I am trying to repay them. We’ll talk about it

...Edinson Cavani...

In the same paper, Martin Lipton muses as to whether Gareth Barry’s omission from the latest England squad could signal the beginning of the end of international football for the City midfielder.

If he’s right, then Roy Hodgson could be making a big mistake with Barry outstanding for the Blues once again this season – in fact, perhaps better than ever

...Media round-up..

Writes Lipton: “Barry and Scott Parker have been left staring at the end of their England careers as Roy Hodgson made his midfield pecking order clear.

“As expected, Hodgson reverted to the old guard for next week's prestige friendly against Brazil, with next generation members Wilfried Zaha, Raheem Sterling and Jonjo Shelvey returning to under-21 service.

“But while skipper Steven Gerrard, Michael Carrick, Frank Lampard and Jack Wilshere were joined as central midfield options by Everton's Leon Osman, both Barry and Parker were overlooked.

“And with Hodgson seeing the Wembley clash as a key element of preparation for the crunch March World Cup qualifiers with San Marino and Montenegro, Barry and Parker were told they are no longer in the first stage of the manager's thinking.”